Bodies of seven lynched ‘thieves’ found dumped

District magistrate, superintendent of police sacked

PATNA: Three days after the lynching of 10 alleged thieves by a mob at Rajapakar in Vaishali, the insensitivity of some district administration officials has given the state government a fresh jolt.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was aghast on being told by the media that seven of the bodies were found abandoned and dogs were seen pulling them towards the river side. The CM had earlier been informed that the bodies had been cremated on Friday evening in the presence of police and a magistrate deputed by the Vaishali district magistrate. The district administration had to bear the expenses of the cremation as no one from the deceased's families came to claim the bodies.

The chief minister summoned the chief secretary, home secretary and director general of police on Sunday and after verifying the authenticity of media reports gave marching orders to the district magistrate and superintendent of police of Vaishali.

The district welfare officer of Vaishali Sarvesh Mathur who was deputed as magistrate for the cremation of the bodies, officer in charge of Hajipur (Vaishali) town police station RK Singh and officer in charge of Rajapakar police station Vibha Kumari were suspended. The government has appointed Preeti Verma the new DM and Paras Nath the superintendent of police, Vaishali. The duo had been asked to take charge of their new assignments immediately.

Preliminary investigation into the lynching incident has revealed that the victims were not thieves.